Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gear, particularly to a fishing reel drive gear and a fishing reel pinion gear meshed with the fishing reel drive gear.
Background Information
A conventional fishing reel includes a rotation transmission mechanism configured to wind a fishing line about a spool by rotation of a handle. The rotation transmission mechanism includes a drive gear and a pinion gear. The drive gear is configured to be rotated in conjunction with the handle. The pinion gear is meshed with the drive gear. For example, a drive gear, coupled through a drag mechanism to a drive shaft rotatable in conjunction with the rotation of a handle, has been known as an exemplary drive gear for a dual-bearing reel configured to wind a fishing line by a rotatable spool. Further, another type of drive gear, mounted to the drive shaft while being unitarily rotatable therewith, has been also known as an exemplary drive gear for a dual-bearing reel. In such a dual-bearing reel, the drive gear is meshed with the pinion gear for rotating the spool. Each of the drive gear and the pinion gear has either spur teeth or helical teeth, and the drive gear teeth and the pinion gear teeth are meshed with each other.
A drive gear, unitarily rotatable with a drive shaft configured to be rotated in conjunction with rotation of a handle, has been well-known as an exemplary drive gear for a spinning reel configured to wind a fishing line about a spool by a rotor. In such a spinning reel, the drive gear has a plurality of face gear teeth, whereas a pinion gear has spur teeth to be meshed with the face gear teeth.
Incidentally, a drive gear for a fishing reel that can enhance rotational feeling to be transmitted to the handle when the handle is rotated for winding the fishing line is well known (see Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2012-120444). In such a well-known fishing reel, the number of teeth of the drive gear is increased by reducing the module of the drive gear and that of the pinion gear. Accordingly, the period of vibration to be transmitted to the handle is reduced, and the rotational feeling is enhanced.
In the well-known drive gear for a fishing reel, the module of the drive gear is reduced whereby the period of vibration is reduced and the rotational feeling is enhanced. Therefore, the period of vibration becomes constant with respect to the rotation speed of the handle. In other words, monotonous vibrations are transmitted to the handle.